Travel Writing
© Thomas Wilson Shawcross 20 June 2005
As a Father’s Day present, Lauren and Michael gave me the book “The Best American Travel Writing,” edited by Bill Bryson. In the introduction, Bill Bryson writes of his first trip to Europe (Luxembourg), where he was “astounded to discover there were so many interesting ways to do fundamentally mundane things.”
“I had never seen a zebra crossing before, never seen a tram, never seen an unsliced loaf of bread (never even considered it an option), never seen anyone wearing a beret who expected to be taken seriously, never seen people go to a different shop for each item of dinner or provide their own shopping bags, never seen feathered pheasants and unskinned rabbits hanging in a butcher’s window or a pig’s head grinning on a platter. And the people – why they were Luxembourgers. I don’t know why this amazed me so, but it did. I kept thinking: ‘That man over there, he’s a Luxembourger. And so is that girl. They don’t know anything about the New York Yankees, they don’t know the theme tune to the Mickey Mouse Club, they are from another world.’ It was just wonderful.”
- p. xxv of the introduction to The Best American Travel Writing, previously appearing in Bill Bryson’s book Neither Here Nor There.
The Beatles on a zebra crossing, Abbey Road
As I read Bill Bryson’s words, I realized that I felt exactly the same way about travel. When I travel, I am always looking to see what is different from what I am used to, and I make a particular effort to try to find these things. As Bill Bryson notes, it is easy to find American things when one travels abroad (there is a McDonald’s restaurant in Ulan Bator), and many American tourists travel in groups in which they are shielded from actual contact with any foreign locals. Bill cites an example of a one-week barge tour of Germany, at the conclusion of which he asked a fellow passenger how he found the Germans: “I’m not sure we met any,” was the vaguely troubled response.
I have had the great good fortune to work in thirty-one countries outside of the US, and by the very nature of my visits have been in contact with the local residents. I had expected of course to find major differences in language and culture, but like Bill Bryson, I was continually been amazed at how many different ways there are of doing mundane things.
Here is a small selection of mundane eye-openers, one for each country, which I have spotted during my travels:
Saudi Arabia: Cheese and Jelly sandwiches
I don’t recall ever seeing a C&J sandwich anywhere except in Saudi Arabia, but they are very common there and can be purchased at almost any combination gas station/convenience store. My guess is that the jelly keeps the cheese from drying out in the hot, dry climate. The jelly is usually of a light color – maybe apple? I didn’t try one. Saudi Arabia has more “different” things than anywhere I have ever been, and it merits its own story.
Japan: Pedestrian Signals for the Blind
In Kyoto, I noticed bird-chirping sounds at many crosswalks, but I couldn’t see the bird. Then, I realized that the bird chips were coming from the traffic lights and signaled when it was ok for a pedestrian to cross a road. The path across the intersection was lined with quarter-sized bumps that a blind person could sense as a guide across the intersection. Another sound was made when it was no longer safe to cross. I have forgotten what that sound was.
France: Supermarkets on the basement levels of Department Stores
I had been working in Paris for several months before it occurred to me that I had never seen a grocery store anywhere near my hotel. Surely, the locals did not have to leave Paris to buy groceries? Oh, there were bread shops and wine shops and all kinds of little specialty food shops, but surely there were some grocery stores? One day, while exploring a local Department store, I rode the escalator to the bottom floor and was surprised to find a supermarket down there! I checked some other department stores, and they had them too! Who knew?
Venezuela: No Mas vending machines
OK, there were some Coca-Cola vending machines in the Caracas airport, but they were the only ones I saw. There were many human-operated small food and beverage carts on the streets of Caracas, but no vending machines. One local speculated that it might have something to do with the wild fluctuations in the valuation of the local currency. I don’t know.
Tunisia: Thick tea
There are many coffee/tea houses in Tunisia where one can get some highly caffeinated beverages. I saw a man in Nabeul who was drinking green tea that appeared to be about the same consistency as pea soup.
Netherlands: French Fries
You thought I was going to mention the legalized drugs and prostitution? That would hardly be mundane, would it? No, I am thinking more along the lines of the Frites stands that are everywhere in Amsterdam. They sell French fries, of course, with a wide variety of tasty sauces, served in a paper cone. My favorite topping sauce was aoli. I think it was possible to get ketchup with your fries . . . but most Frites stands offered at least twenty different topping sauces.
Paraguay: Automatic weapons at Parking Garages
I had never seen a Parking Lot attendant armed with an AK-47 before I went shopping in Paraguay. I suppose it helps keep down parking lot crime.
Canada: Electric Outlets in parking lots
In Alberta, Canada, most parking garages provide an electric outlet by each parking space. Many outdoor parking lots have parking-meter-like poles at each parking space, and they house electric outlets where the coin boxes should be. The winters get so cold that engine oil can turn to something resembling Tunisian tea if a car is left exposed to the elements. So, the cars there have oil heaters that are electrically operated. When one parks, one takes an extension cord and plugs one’s vehicle to an electric outlet, thus assuring that the engine oil remains a liquid.
Malaysia: Batik shirts
Casino de Genting in Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia had an interesting dress code when I was there in 1998. Men had to wear either a suit and tie or a long-sleeved Batik shirt. The casino rented Batik shirts (but not suits and ties) to prospective gamblers. I think Batik shirts are Indonesian in origin. They resemble the Hawaiian-style shirts that Tom Selleck wore in his Magnum, P. I. television series, but the designs are not floral.
Batik shirts
My impression was that the long-sleeved Batik shirt was the Malaysian equivalent of the Western suit and tie, but I never saw anyone wearing a Batik shirt except while in the casino. Street wear was more often a Baju Melayu or something like that. Speaking of twists on the mundane, I watched the Malaysian television edition of Wheel of Fortune. The show was conducted in English language, but the words were spelled in Bahasa Melayu! So, the final word comes with a not-so-helpful clue, such as “budak” or “dendam.”
China: Outdoor Entrees
For the ultimate in fresh food, consider dining in Guilin. I had snake soup at a local restaurant there, and I was surprised to find my entrée-to-be caged on the sidewalk, along with the other prospective entrees, such as pigeons and bamboo rats. After selecting my entrée (similar to selecting a lobster from a restaurant tank), it was slaughtered right there on the sidewalk and carried through the dining area back into the kitchen, where it was made into a tasty soup. I suspect the traditional lack of refrigeration facilities led to the practice of keeping live entrees.
Spain: Late night dining
Spain, in 1982, was the first country in which I discovered that many people eat at a later hour than do most Americans. Arriving in Madrid at 5 pm local time, I was surprised to find how empty the restaurants seemed to be. I was also surprised to see the menu did not have any of what I had supposed were the traditional Spanish foods, such as enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, etc. Turns out those are Mexican! Pointing to the fried onion rings that the diner at the next table was having was the first step in my discovery of calamari. I was time-zone weary, so I went back to my hotel for a short nap. Awakening at 11 pm, I hoped I could still find a restaurant that was open. To my surprise, the local restaurants were all packed! Who knew the Spanish dined so late?
Mexico: Late afternoon lunching
The first time I worked in Mexico, I discovered that my Mexican clients seemed to be in a different time zone. I would set up a meeting for 9 am and they would stroll into the office around 10 am, and then they would not want to go to lunch until 2 or 3 pm. One day, I was starving and insisted that we go to lunch at 1 pm. When we got to the restaurant, we had to wait for it to open!
Trinidad: Pepper
I worked in Port of Spain, Trinidad for nine days. During the weekend, my local host took me to a very scenic waterfall, but before going there, we stopped in the city to buy some snacks. I bought what appeared to be dried apricots that had been rolled in sugar. Sugar and Pepper, I discovered. I have never been to a place that had such spicy food. Even the sweets were peppered. At an Indian restaurant, we were told that the three spice bowls contained hot, hotter, and hottest sauce. My colleague put six drops of the hottest on some nan and dahl, took a bite, then tried to prevent the tears from rolling down his face. I touched a tine of my fork to the hottest sauce and placed one drop of it on the center of my tongue. The feeling was similar to the scalding sensation of drinking too-hot cocoa, but without the chocolately taste. The center of my tongue became numb, not unlike the feeling that one gets at a dental office when one’s mouth is “frozen.”
Thailand: Tuk-Tuks
Tuk-Tuks are a fun way to get around in Bangkok. They sort of resemble motorized rickshaws, and they are sometimes faster than regular taxis, as they can weave their way through traffic jams more easily.
Taiwan: Motorcycle taxis
Why have a three-wheeled taxi when two wheels will do? Several Asian cities offer motorcycle taxis. The first ones I saw were in Taipei in 1984.
Here is a photo I found of two motorcycle taxis in Phnom Penh, Cambodia:
Germany: Blue Laws
Travel to Germany from the Eastern time zone in the US, and you will most likely arrive at your final destination around 1 pm. If you arrive on a Saturday or a Sunday, don’t plan to do any shopping – the stores will be closed. The first time I worked in Germany, I arrived on a Saturday, hoping to do a little sightseeing and time-zone adjusting before starting work on Monday. I checked into my hotel at Sindelfingen, and immediately set out on a walk. I was alone on the streets. Everything was closed. The Blue Laws in Germany shut down the stores after 12 noon on Saturday, and they don’t reopen until Monday. I returned to my hotel, which was filled with the mouth-watering aromas of Chinese food. A Chinese circus troupe was staying at my hotel, and all the acrobats must have been cooking in their rooms. It was an odd first impression of Germany. To this day, I still think of Germany when I smell Chinese cooking.
England: Iceland
See my story “Today’s Blog” of 17 April 2005. England has a chain of frozen food stores known as “Iceland.” They sell frozen foods, fridges, and freezers.
I have never seen any other stores that sell only frozen foods and freezing appliances.
Belgium: Chocolate Stores
I have never been anywhere that has as many chocolate stores per capita as does Belgium. In Bruges, they are as popular as Starbucks coffee houses are here. What is it that makes certain places specialize in certain types of food? Detroit has as many Coney Island hot dog shops as Bruges has chocolate shops. Why? And why doesn’t the best chocolate come from the countries where cocoa is a native plant? I have so many unanswered questions . . .
Australia: Meat Pies
And why does Australia have so many meat pies? They are quite good, actually, especially with a topping sauce. I suppose most countries have some sort of meat-filled pastry, pie, pierogi, empanada, bric, ravioli, knish, or whatever they call it.
Jamaica: Poles to keep aircraft from landing
I doubt that anyone else has ever heard of this, but there is a religious sect in Jamaica that worships Haile Selassie, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as a living god, and this religion advocates the use of marijuana (ganja) for religious purposes. I am just kidding about the “no one else” has heard of this, as I suppose most people have heard of the Rastafarian musician Bob Marley and are aware that marijuana can be found in Jamaica. In fact, it appears there is so much trafficking in ganja there that the authorities have erected telephone poles (without wires on them) along many straight sections of two-lane Jamaican roads, in order to keep drug smugglers from using the roads as landing strips. The poles are erected very near one side of the road only, as they are not needed on both sides to clip the wing of any small plane that tries to land there.
Bahamas: Salty Water
The next time you are in Nassau and drink a cup of coffee, don’t be surprised if it tastes a bit salty. It seems that sea salt has infiltrated the local water supply, and most of the water there is a bit salty. One can observe rain water collecting tanks on most roof tops – this must be an attempt by the locals to acquire salt-free water.
Italy: Train Robbers
The first time I was in Italy, in 1982, I was enjoying the benefits of my Eurail Pass until a young woman seated next to me told how she had been robbed on a recent train ride to Monaco. A thief had chloroformed her to make sure she would not awaken, then took her suitcase to the men’s room, took out what he wanted and threw the rest down the toilet (it goes out onto the tracks). I do not know if that was an isolated incident, but I did not fall asleep that night on the train. About 3 am, a man tried to enter our car, but when I sat up, he quickly exited. Was that significant?
Scotland: No Panhandling
Most major metropolitan areas seem to have panhandlers. In Edinburgh, Scotland, I did not see any, and that surprised me. On my last evening in the city, I took a long walk. Suddenly, an attractive young woman, perhaps in her late teens or early twenties, approached and asked if I could give her coins for bus fare (she had forgotten her cell phone, could not call for a ride, etc.). I gave her the coins she requested, and as I did so she jumped forward into me, slamming her body flat against my chest and thus hiding the exchange of coins from any onlookers. That’s when I figured out that it must have been illegal. Taking my coins, she was quickly joined by two other young women and they walked away laughing, presumably in search of a bus stop, although there was one at the corner where we were. At least, she had a plausible scam. Once, a young woman panhandler approached me in Calgary, in the middle of a fairly large city park. She said her car had broken down, and she needed bus money to get home. Well, if her car had broken down, why would she walk several blocks into a city park to ask for bus fare? I would have given her some money if she hadn’t been so inept at scamming.
New Zealand: All Blacks
In the US, where Rugby news seldom makes the front of the Sports page, it would seem unthinkable that a Rugby team would regularly be heralded on the front of the News page, but that’s how it is in New Zealand for their National Rugby team, the All Blacks. The team performs the Haka, a traditional Maori war dance, prior to each international match.
Singapore: Be Good. Be very, very good.
A few years ago, a young American male made international news because he was sentenced to be caned for spraying orange paint on a Porsche. Singapore runs a tight ship. Even chewing gum is prohibited there. After a while, all the restrictions get to you. One day, while in the subway station, I noticed a sign that warned of a giant penalty if you were caught smoking inside the station. Oh no! I hadn’t realized that was against the law! But then I remembered – I don’t smoke. I was getting paranoid in Singapore. It is the most rule-bound place I have ever visited. Once, when trying to enter Malaysia from Singapore, the border guards were flummoxed when they saw that every visa stamp page of my passport had already been used. Where could they put their exit stamp? Helpfully, I suggested that they let one page have five stamps on it instead of the usual four. Oh, no, that would not do! They could not think of a better idea, so eventually they did what I suggested.
Hong Kong: Stores
Hong Kong is part of China again, but when I was last there, in 1985, it was still under lease to Great Britain. I don’t know if things are still the same there, but when I was there in 1984 and in 1985, there was a store of some sort nearly within an arms-reach, everywhere in Hong Kong. One could wander down blind alleys, turn a corner and find a small stand where something was being sold. A city of merchants.
Chile: Stay in the airport
While bouncing around the Southern Cone of South America, I found myself at the Santiago, Chile airport with a five hour layover. Well, maybe I would take a cab into the city and do some sightseeing. No, it would cost $45 just to step outside! I felt as if they were trying to rip me off, so I showed them! I festered in the Santiago airport for the next five hours. I hope they have learned their lesson in Santiago.
Monaco: Small Casino
One hears so much about the casino at Monte Carlo. James Bond played chemin de fer there. Many movie scenes have been shot there. It is actually a rather small, and by today’s standards, not particularly impressive casino. It reminds me of the older casinos that were in downtown Las Vegas and were put in the shade by the Mega-Casinos on the Strip.
Macau: Odd Tourist Attraction
Arguably the biggest tourist attraction in Macau, St. Paul’s Cathedral is in fact not much more than one wall. Built by the Jesuits between 1582 and 1602, it was destroyed by fire during an 1835 typhoon. Somewhere, I have a photo of myself standing in front of it. I think millions of people can say the same thing. But, really, it is just one wall. It puzzles me that it was allowed to remain standing. Shouldn’t it have been either torn down or the entire building rebuilt?
Brazil: Capoeira
Brazil has many interesting sites. On a city tour of Sao Paulo, I saw a python park (lots of fat snakes hanging from trees), visited the grave of a young driver who had died in a Grand Prix, stood on the grass inside an enormous soccer stadium, and watched Capoeira in a public park. Capoeira is a martial art developed by Brazilian slaves. It looks a bit like acrobatic dancing. Often, it is accompanied by music. Here, something as mundane and widespread as martial arts has developed a unique form.
Barbados: Bird Moochers
I had lunch at Sandy Lane Hotel in St. James, Barbados. This is a rather nice facility, a bit too pricey for me (the room rack rates range from $800 to $20,000 per night), but I figured I could do lunch there. Well, the lunch was quite nice, but what I remember most about Sandy Lane are its tiny sparrows. I am not certain if they were sparrows, as they weren’t much larger than hummingbirds, but they looked like little sparrows to me. These tiny moochers were cunning and practiced thieves. At every opportunity, they would swoop in, grab a morsel of bread or fruit or whatever they could lift from a plate, and then zoom off. I wondered if Alfred Hitchcock had dined there before coming up with his idea for “The Birds” movie.
As a Father’s Day present, Lauren and Michael gave me the book “The Best American Travel Writing,” edited by Bill Bryson. In the introduction, Bill Bryson writes of his first trip to Europe (Luxembourg), where he was “astounded to discover there were so many interesting ways to do fundamentally mundane things.”
“I had never seen a zebra crossing before, never seen a tram, never seen an unsliced loaf of bread (never even considered it an option), never seen anyone wearing a beret who expected to be taken seriously, never seen people go to a different shop for each item of dinner or provide their own shopping bags, never seen feathered pheasants and unskinned rabbits hanging in a butcher’s window or a pig’s head grinning on a platter. And the people – why they were Luxembourgers. I don’t know why this amazed me so, but it did. I kept thinking: ‘That man over there, he’s a Luxembourger. And so is that girl. They don’t know anything about the New York Yankees, they don’t know the theme tune to the Mickey Mouse Club, they are from another world.’ It was just wonderful.”
- p. xxv of the introduction to The Best American Travel Writing, previously appearing in Bill Bryson’s book Neither Here Nor There.
The Beatles on a zebra crossing, Abbey Road
As I read Bill Bryson’s words, I realized that I felt exactly the same way about travel. When I travel, I am always looking to see what is different from what I am used to, and I make a particular effort to try to find these things. As Bill Bryson notes, it is easy to find American things when one travels abroad (there is a McDonald’s restaurant in Ulan Bator), and many American tourists travel in groups in which they are shielded from actual contact with any foreign locals. Bill cites an example of a one-week barge tour of Germany, at the conclusion of which he asked a fellow passenger how he found the Germans: “I’m not sure we met any,” was the vaguely troubled response.
I have had the great good fortune to work in thirty-one countries outside of the US, and by the very nature of my visits have been in contact with the local residents. I had expected of course to find major differences in language and culture, but like Bill Bryson, I was continually been amazed at how many different ways there are of doing mundane things.
Here is a small selection of mundane eye-openers, one for each country, which I have spotted during my travels:
Saudi Arabia: Cheese and Jelly sandwiches
I don’t recall ever seeing a C&J sandwich anywhere except in Saudi Arabia, but they are very common there and can be purchased at almost any combination gas station/convenience store. My guess is that the jelly keeps the cheese from drying out in the hot, dry climate. The jelly is usually of a light color – maybe apple? I didn’t try one. Saudi Arabia has more “different” things than anywhere I have ever been, and it merits its own story.
Japan: Pedestrian Signals for the Blind
In Kyoto, I noticed bird-chirping sounds at many crosswalks, but I couldn’t see the bird. Then, I realized that the bird chips were coming from the traffic lights and signaled when it was ok for a pedestrian to cross a road. The path across the intersection was lined with quarter-sized bumps that a blind person could sense as a guide across the intersection. Another sound was made when it was no longer safe to cross. I have forgotten what that sound was.
France: Supermarkets on the basement levels of Department Stores
I had been working in Paris for several months before it occurred to me that I had never seen a grocery store anywhere near my hotel. Surely, the locals did not have to leave Paris to buy groceries? Oh, there were bread shops and wine shops and all kinds of little specialty food shops, but surely there were some grocery stores? One day, while exploring a local Department store, I rode the escalator to the bottom floor and was surprised to find a supermarket down there! I checked some other department stores, and they had them too! Who knew?
Venezuela: No Mas vending machines
OK, there were some Coca-Cola vending machines in the Caracas airport, but they were the only ones I saw. There were many human-operated small food and beverage carts on the streets of Caracas, but no vending machines. One local speculated that it might have something to do with the wild fluctuations in the valuation of the local currency. I don’t know.
Tunisia: Thick tea
There are many coffee/tea houses in Tunisia where one can get some highly caffeinated beverages. I saw a man in Nabeul who was drinking green tea that appeared to be about the same consistency as pea soup.
Netherlands: French Fries
You thought I was going to mention the legalized drugs and prostitution? That would hardly be mundane, would it? No, I am thinking more along the lines of the Frites stands that are everywhere in Amsterdam. They sell French fries, of course, with a wide variety of tasty sauces, served in a paper cone. My favorite topping sauce was aoli. I think it was possible to get ketchup with your fries . . . but most Frites stands offered at least twenty different topping sauces.
Paraguay: Automatic weapons at Parking Garages
I had never seen a Parking Lot attendant armed with an AK-47 before I went shopping in Paraguay. I suppose it helps keep down parking lot crime.
Canada: Electric Outlets in parking lots
In Alberta, Canada, most parking garages provide an electric outlet by each parking space. Many outdoor parking lots have parking-meter-like poles at each parking space, and they house electric outlets where the coin boxes should be. The winters get so cold that engine oil can turn to something resembling Tunisian tea if a car is left exposed to the elements. So, the cars there have oil heaters that are electrically operated. When one parks, one takes an extension cord and plugs one’s vehicle to an electric outlet, thus assuring that the engine oil remains a liquid.
Malaysia: Batik shirts
Casino de Genting in Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia had an interesting dress code when I was there in 1998. Men had to wear either a suit and tie or a long-sleeved Batik shirt. The casino rented Batik shirts (but not suits and ties) to prospective gamblers. I think Batik shirts are Indonesian in origin. They resemble the Hawaiian-style shirts that Tom Selleck wore in his Magnum, P. I. television series, but the designs are not floral.
Batik shirts
My impression was that the long-sleeved Batik shirt was the Malaysian equivalent of the Western suit and tie, but I never saw anyone wearing a Batik shirt except while in the casino. Street wear was more often a Baju Melayu or something like that. Speaking of twists on the mundane, I watched the Malaysian television edition of Wheel of Fortune. The show was conducted in English language, but the words were spelled in Bahasa Melayu! So, the final word comes with a not-so-helpful clue, such as “budak” or “dendam.”
China: Outdoor Entrees
For the ultimate in fresh food, consider dining in Guilin. I had snake soup at a local restaurant there, and I was surprised to find my entrée-to-be caged on the sidewalk, along with the other prospective entrees, such as pigeons and bamboo rats. After selecting my entrée (similar to selecting a lobster from a restaurant tank), it was slaughtered right there on the sidewalk and carried through the dining area back into the kitchen, where it was made into a tasty soup. I suspect the traditional lack of refrigeration facilities led to the practice of keeping live entrees.
Spain: Late night dining
Spain, in 1982, was the first country in which I discovered that many people eat at a later hour than do most Americans. Arriving in Madrid at 5 pm local time, I was surprised to find how empty the restaurants seemed to be. I was also surprised to see the menu did not have any of what I had supposed were the traditional Spanish foods, such as enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, etc. Turns out those are Mexican! Pointing to the fried onion rings that the diner at the next table was having was the first step in my discovery of calamari. I was time-zone weary, so I went back to my hotel for a short nap. Awakening at 11 pm, I hoped I could still find a restaurant that was open. To my surprise, the local restaurants were all packed! Who knew the Spanish dined so late?
Mexico: Late afternoon lunching
The first time I worked in Mexico, I discovered that my Mexican clients seemed to be in a different time zone. I would set up a meeting for 9 am and they would stroll into the office around 10 am, and then they would not want to go to lunch until 2 or 3 pm. One day, I was starving and insisted that we go to lunch at 1 pm. When we got to the restaurant, we had to wait for it to open!
Trinidad: Pepper
I worked in Port of Spain, Trinidad for nine days. During the weekend, my local host took me to a very scenic waterfall, but before going there, we stopped in the city to buy some snacks. I bought what appeared to be dried apricots that had been rolled in sugar. Sugar and Pepper, I discovered. I have never been to a place that had such spicy food. Even the sweets were peppered. At an Indian restaurant, we were told that the three spice bowls contained hot, hotter, and hottest sauce. My colleague put six drops of the hottest on some nan and dahl, took a bite, then tried to prevent the tears from rolling down his face. I touched a tine of my fork to the hottest sauce and placed one drop of it on the center of my tongue. The feeling was similar to the scalding sensation of drinking too-hot cocoa, but without the chocolately taste. The center of my tongue became numb, not unlike the feeling that one gets at a dental office when one’s mouth is “frozen.”
Thailand: Tuk-Tuks
Tuk-Tuks are a fun way to get around in Bangkok. They sort of resemble motorized rickshaws, and they are sometimes faster than regular taxis, as they can weave their way through traffic jams more easily.
Taiwan: Motorcycle taxis
Why have a three-wheeled taxi when two wheels will do? Several Asian cities offer motorcycle taxis. The first ones I saw were in Taipei in 1984.
Here is a photo I found of two motorcycle taxis in Phnom Penh, Cambodia:
Germany: Blue Laws
Travel to Germany from the Eastern time zone in the US, and you will most likely arrive at your final destination around 1 pm. If you arrive on a Saturday or a Sunday, don’t plan to do any shopping – the stores will be closed. The first time I worked in Germany, I arrived on a Saturday, hoping to do a little sightseeing and time-zone adjusting before starting work on Monday. I checked into my hotel at Sindelfingen, and immediately set out on a walk. I was alone on the streets. Everything was closed. The Blue Laws in Germany shut down the stores after 12 noon on Saturday, and they don’t reopen until Monday. I returned to my hotel, which was filled with the mouth-watering aromas of Chinese food. A Chinese circus troupe was staying at my hotel, and all the acrobats must have been cooking in their rooms. It was an odd first impression of Germany. To this day, I still think of Germany when I smell Chinese cooking.
England: Iceland
See my story “Today’s Blog” of 17 April 2005. England has a chain of frozen food stores known as “Iceland.” They sell frozen foods, fridges, and freezers.
I have never seen any other stores that sell only frozen foods and freezing appliances.
Belgium: Chocolate Stores
I have never been anywhere that has as many chocolate stores per capita as does Belgium. In Bruges, they are as popular as Starbucks coffee houses are here. What is it that makes certain places specialize in certain types of food? Detroit has as many Coney Island hot dog shops as Bruges has chocolate shops. Why? And why doesn’t the best chocolate come from the countries where cocoa is a native plant? I have so many unanswered questions . . .
Australia: Meat Pies
And why does Australia have so many meat pies? They are quite good, actually, especially with a topping sauce. I suppose most countries have some sort of meat-filled pastry, pie, pierogi, empanada, bric, ravioli, knish, or whatever they call it.
Jamaica: Poles to keep aircraft from landing
I doubt that anyone else has ever heard of this, but there is a religious sect in Jamaica that worships Haile Selassie, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as a living god, and this religion advocates the use of marijuana (ganja) for religious purposes. I am just kidding about the “no one else” has heard of this, as I suppose most people have heard of the Rastafarian musician Bob Marley and are aware that marijuana can be found in Jamaica. In fact, it appears there is so much trafficking in ganja there that the authorities have erected telephone poles (without wires on them) along many straight sections of two-lane Jamaican roads, in order to keep drug smugglers from using the roads as landing strips. The poles are erected very near one side of the road only, as they are not needed on both sides to clip the wing of any small plane that tries to land there.
Bahamas: Salty Water
The next time you are in Nassau and drink a cup of coffee, don’t be surprised if it tastes a bit salty. It seems that sea salt has infiltrated the local water supply, and most of the water there is a bit salty. One can observe rain water collecting tanks on most roof tops – this must be an attempt by the locals to acquire salt-free water.
Italy: Train Robbers
The first time I was in Italy, in 1982, I was enjoying the benefits of my Eurail Pass until a young woman seated next to me told how she had been robbed on a recent train ride to Monaco. A thief had chloroformed her to make sure she would not awaken, then took her suitcase to the men’s room, took out what he wanted and threw the rest down the toilet (it goes out onto the tracks). I do not know if that was an isolated incident, but I did not fall asleep that night on the train. About 3 am, a man tried to enter our car, but when I sat up, he quickly exited. Was that significant?
Scotland: No Panhandling
Most major metropolitan areas seem to have panhandlers. In Edinburgh, Scotland, I did not see any, and that surprised me. On my last evening in the city, I took a long walk. Suddenly, an attractive young woman, perhaps in her late teens or early twenties, approached and asked if I could give her coins for bus fare (she had forgotten her cell phone, could not call for a ride, etc.). I gave her the coins she requested, and as I did so she jumped forward into me, slamming her body flat against my chest and thus hiding the exchange of coins from any onlookers. That’s when I figured out that it must have been illegal. Taking my coins, she was quickly joined by two other young women and they walked away laughing, presumably in search of a bus stop, although there was one at the corner where we were. At least, she had a plausible scam. Once, a young woman panhandler approached me in Calgary, in the middle of a fairly large city park. She said her car had broken down, and she needed bus money to get home. Well, if her car had broken down, why would she walk several blocks into a city park to ask for bus fare? I would have given her some money if she hadn’t been so inept at scamming.
New Zealand: All Blacks
In the US, where Rugby news seldom makes the front of the Sports page, it would seem unthinkable that a Rugby team would regularly be heralded on the front of the News page, but that’s how it is in New Zealand for their National Rugby team, the All Blacks. The team performs the Haka, a traditional Maori war dance, prior to each international match.
Singapore: Be Good. Be very, very good.
A few years ago, a young American male made international news because he was sentenced to be caned for spraying orange paint on a Porsche. Singapore runs a tight ship. Even chewing gum is prohibited there. After a while, all the restrictions get to you. One day, while in the subway station, I noticed a sign that warned of a giant penalty if you were caught smoking inside the station. Oh no! I hadn’t realized that was against the law! But then I remembered – I don’t smoke. I was getting paranoid in Singapore. It is the most rule-bound place I have ever visited. Once, when trying to enter Malaysia from Singapore, the border guards were flummoxed when they saw that every visa stamp page of my passport had already been used. Where could they put their exit stamp? Helpfully, I suggested that they let one page have five stamps on it instead of the usual four. Oh, no, that would not do! They could not think of a better idea, so eventually they did what I suggested.
Hong Kong: Stores
Hong Kong is part of China again, but when I was last there, in 1985, it was still under lease to Great Britain. I don’t know if things are still the same there, but when I was there in 1984 and in 1985, there was a store of some sort nearly within an arms-reach, everywhere in Hong Kong. One could wander down blind alleys, turn a corner and find a small stand where something was being sold. A city of merchants.
Chile: Stay in the airport
While bouncing around the Southern Cone of South America, I found myself at the Santiago, Chile airport with a five hour layover. Well, maybe I would take a cab into the city and do some sightseeing. No, it would cost $45 just to step outside! I felt as if they were trying to rip me off, so I showed them! I festered in the Santiago airport for the next five hours. I hope they have learned their lesson in Santiago.
Monaco: Small Casino
One hears so much about the casino at Monte Carlo. James Bond played chemin de fer there. Many movie scenes have been shot there. It is actually a rather small, and by today’s standards, not particularly impressive casino. It reminds me of the older casinos that were in downtown Las Vegas and were put in the shade by the Mega-Casinos on the Strip.
Macau: Odd Tourist Attraction
Arguably the biggest tourist attraction in Macau, St. Paul’s Cathedral is in fact not much more than one wall. Built by the Jesuits between 1582 and 1602, it was destroyed by fire during an 1835 typhoon. Somewhere, I have a photo of myself standing in front of it. I think millions of people can say the same thing. But, really, it is just one wall. It puzzles me that it was allowed to remain standing. Shouldn’t it have been either torn down or the entire building rebuilt?
Brazil: Capoeira
Brazil has many interesting sites. On a city tour of Sao Paulo, I saw a python park (lots of fat snakes hanging from trees), visited the grave of a young driver who had died in a Grand Prix, stood on the grass inside an enormous soccer stadium, and watched Capoeira in a public park. Capoeira is a martial art developed by Brazilian slaves. It looks a bit like acrobatic dancing. Often, it is accompanied by music. Here, something as mundane and widespread as martial arts has developed a unique form.
Barbados: Bird Moochers
I had lunch at Sandy Lane Hotel in St. James, Barbados. This is a rather nice facility, a bit too pricey for me (the room rack rates range from $800 to $20,000 per night), but I figured I could do lunch there. Well, the lunch was quite nice, but what I remember most about Sandy Lane are its tiny sparrows. I am not certain if they were sparrows, as they weren’t much larger than hummingbirds, but they looked like little sparrows to me. These tiny moochers were cunning and practiced thieves. At every opportunity, they would swoop in, grab a morsel of bread or fruit or whatever they could lift from a plate, and then zoom off. I wondered if Alfred Hitchcock had dined there before coming up with his idea for “The Birds” movie.
posted by Tom Shawcross | 6:38 PM
2 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
<< Home